Quality problems may occur when transporting wines, beer, or other temperature sensitive beverages, food, medicines, or other biodegradable materials if the products are subjected to temperatures above a level resulting in degradation of the product. Even variable temperature levels or humidity levels may result in damage to some products. For instance, it is desirable to maintain a pre-selected temperature range for maintaining the integrity of wines. Storing and serving wines at the proper temperature is important in capturing the many qualities that wine has to offer.
On occasion, wines must be transported when a distributor travels between overnight destinations. Wine distributors and salesman meet with potential customers from in various locations on a daily basis with the task of introducing the merchants to new wine products. The wines must be readily available and maintained at a ready to serve optimum temperature. Storing and transporting red wine in at the proper temperature is critical to capturing the many qualities that wine has to offer.
As an example, an acceptable temperature range for storing red wine might be approximately 55° F. The optimal drinking temperatures for different types of red wine may range from 45° to 66° F.
In addition to temperature control, the ability to track the temperature and location of the temperature controlled container and/or bottles, cans, or individual containers of product therein, and transmit this information to a selected recipient via electronic means is an important to make sure the wine or other temperature sensitive product is held and stored at an acceptable temperature range.
Conventional transport cases teach various devices for controlling the temperature of transported products. US Patent Publication No. 20070028642 by Glade et al teaches a reusable container for transporting temperature controlled items including an outer case and lid defining a well, both with insulating layers and at least one cooling element disposed within the well. The cooling element is separately removable and freezable. A removable caddy is provided in the well.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,178,343 by Linder teaches a cabinet preferably made from wood including a base and a lid with a bottle tray positioned within an upper area of the base. The bottle tray includes a plurality of semicircular recesses formed in the tray, each of which are adapted to receive a wine bottle. A plurality of circulation slots are disposed through the bottle tray for assisting with air circulation within the wine cooler. The wine cooler further includes a thermoelectric cooling system comprising at least one thermoelectric couple, each thermoelectric couple having a cold and hot junction. The system operates from a 12 VDC source.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,412,489 by Gadaba teaches a system including an environmental sensor that can travel with a product within a carrier's logistics network. The environmental sensor being configured to sense an environmental condition capable of affecting the product to generate product environment data. The system includes a scanner configured to read product environment data from the environmental sensor. The system also includes a hub control unit configured to communicate with the scanner and receive the product environment data from the scanner and determines whether the product environment data transcends a limit of exposure of the product to an environmental condition. The hub control unit is also configured to generate a transporting instruction to redirect transport of the product to an alternate destination different from its original destination if the hub control unit determines that the product environment data indicates the environmental condition of the product has transcended the limit of exposure.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,061,148 teaches a portable temperature controlled container defining a storage chamber with a cold side assembly system in heat transfer communication with the interior of the chamber and a hot side assembly system in heat transfer communication with the interior of the chamber and a thermoelectric module supplied with electrical power.